[Finished][YDF] Designer Contest - Overwhelming Shadow [Finished]

[Bringerofcake]

Edited Infuzier based on your feedback. Flipping it now gives you back the card you used. That might be a bit extreme, but I'd like to hear feedback as usual.

[SirFred131]

The issue in YDF is that the bigger monsters usually require investment, either Tributes, Equips or ATK boosts, so Ambushing Mantis could single-handedly remove a monster the opponent invested on, and that's where it becomes more or less unfair. If the opponent attacks with a weaker monster that he/she didn't invest much on, then it will be punished hard by Mantis, as the flip not only will weaken it, but also the flip to Attack Position will force it to crash; or you could weaken another monster and the attacking monster will still crash if it is weak enough. Either way, Mantis will punish the opponent relatively hard. And with its Normal Set condition, it arguably makes it more unfair, as you can Set it with no cost except for the Normal Summon/Set of the turn.

 

Raising the ATK limit will allow more monsters to attack Mantis safely, and thus make Mantis easier to counter, which, considering the above, it's a fair thing to do in my opinion. Besides, at the very least it will Sunder an opponent's monster by 800, a decent reduction that more often than not should be enough to render the monster that killed it easier to handle.

 

 

Edit: This post has been rendered pointless by the edit made to the post it was quoting. Feel free to ignore it.

[spoiler=post]

Okay, here's what I don't understand. You say strong monsters require investment.. But you can get out a monster with 2000 attack without any investment? And not only that, you seem to be implying that most monsters you get out without any investment would have 2k+ attack. I'd expect a monster with no investment to be in the 1300-1800 range if you were willing to attack with it, and it didn't have any cost or drawback associated with getting it out and then attacking with it (excluding normal monsters).

 

When I played Yugioh as a kid, all of our decks were mostly normal monsters, and then game was essentially over if someone managed to get out Summoned Skull. The 2500 atk on it meant it would just beat down anything you could put out, be it a Goblin Attack Force or a Giant Solider of Stone, and your opponent would get to keep playing more monsters in the mean time, which they could use to tribute summon whatever they felt like even if you could bring down Summoned Skull. From what I understand, removal is just as hard if not harder than it was back then, and getting out strong monsters is easier but not by a whole lot.

 

The reason I made Ambushing Mantis is because I was afraid that this format would end up with the only ways to beat a big monster being "Hit it with one of a small set of traps" or "Give your opponent cards in exchange with a card like Damages & Compensation". If you can't get rid of your oppoent's monster quickly or easily, it Will generate board control, which will turn into both life point damage and card advantage. And then when you do get something that can remove it, you'll likely be giving even more advantage to your opponent in doing so. Ambushing Mantis can take out one monster that your opponent invested in relatively cheaply. And if their monster is over 3200, it can at least knock them down a fair bit. But it does nothing else. If they attack into it with something weaker than Gene-warped Warwolf, they will kill it and it will only get a small portion of its potential power. If they never summon out a monster that's Dark Magician or stronger, you can't even play it without it being a worse version of Summoned Skull.

 

If this is a format where you can get out something with 2k attack without investment, but need heavy investment to get out something with 3k, then please don't consider this card. It will be very bad for gameplay. If you need investment or a drawback to get over 2k, then an attack without investment shouldn't be a problem, and it provides a check to strong monsters completely controlling the game. If you don't need investment to get out something with 3k, then the effect shouldn't be a problem and will help lend credability to anything else you can set without a cost, since they're going to need it to be relevant.[/spoiler]

[Darj]

Okay, here's what I don't understand. You say strong monsters require investment.. But you can get out a monster with 2000 attack without any investment? And not only that, you seem to be implying that most monsters you get out without any investment would have 2k+ attack. I'd expect a monster with no investment to be in the 1300-1800 range if you were willing to attack with it, and it didn't have any cost or drawback associated with getting it out and then attacking with it (excluding normal monsters).
 
When I played Yugioh as a kid, all of our decks were mostly normal monsters, and then game was essentially over if someone managed to get out Summoned Skull. The 2500 atk on it meant it would just beat down anything you could put out, be it a Goblin Attack Force or a Giant Solider of Stone, and your opponent would get to keep playing more monsters in the mean time, which they could use to tribute summon whatever they felt like even if you could bring down Summoned Skull. From what I understand, removal is just as hard if not harder than it was back then, and getting out strong monsters is easier but not by a whole lot.
 
The reason I made Ambushing Mantis is because I was afraid that this format would end up with the only ways to beat a big monster being "Hit it with one of a small set of traps" or "Give your opponent cards in exchange with a card like Damages & Compensation". If you can't get rid of your oppoent's monster quickly or easily, it Will generate board control, which will turn into both life point damage and card advantage. And then when you do get something that can remove it, you'll likely be giving even more advantage to your opponent in doing so. Ambushing Mantis can take out one monster that your opponent invested in relatively cheaply. And if their monster is over 3200, it can at least knock them down a fair bit. But it does nothing else. If they attack into it with something weaker than Gene-warped Warwolf, they will kill it and it will only get a small portion of its potential power. If they never summon out a monster that's Dark Magician or stronger, you can't even play it without it being a worse version of Summoned Skull.
 
If this is a format where you can get out something with 2k attack without investment, but need heavy investment to get out something with 3k, then please don't consider this card. It will be very bad for gameplay. If you need investment or a drawback to get over 2k, then an attack without investment shouldn't be a problem, and it provides a check to strong monsters completely controlling the game. If you don't need investment to get out something with 3k, then the effect shouldn't be a problem and will help lend credability to anything else you can set without a cost, since they're going to need it to be relevant.

 
No, you are right; you normally can't get 2k monsters without investment in YDF. Read my previous post again: I edited it stating that I misunderstood the self-flipping effect and for some reason thought it would also apply on monsters with less than 2000 ATK. But it doesn't, so the card seems fine now.
 
 

Edited Infuzier based on your feedback. Flipping it now gives you back the card you used. That might be a bit extreme, but I'd like to hear feedback as usual.

 
Now the battle flip effect feels underwhelming, but the rest look fine. Perhaps you could try with different stats. For instance, simply reversing them would be enough for improving it: You can comfortably wall most Level4s and lower monsters with 1900 DEF, and if it is not attacked and remains face-down you can flip Summon it and go for a 1-for-1; the 0 ATK would be almost meaningless because the monster will destroy itself anyways.

[Bringerofcake]

Actually I like the stats reversed a bit more: Either your opponent wastes their attacks on it, or you gain a life point buffer against boss monsters, or removal... etc

[Tinkerer]

Edited Drifter.  Gives greater stat boosts plus if you are playing defensively, there's a chance for your opponent to attack it multiple times.

[seattleite]

Memoir Phantom

Could you explain how the second effect works? After flipping it face-up and reviving a Level4 or lower, do you you have to flip this card face-down again to apply its second effect?

 

It happens when it's destroyed in battle while face-down (kind of like how Poison Draw Frog works, only the reverse). You do not have to flip it face-down again.

[Darj]

It happens when it's destroyed in battle while face-down (kind of like how Poison Draw Frog works, only the reverse). You do not have to flip it face-down again.

 

I see. In that case the card looks solid. It can revive easily a Level4 or lower and itself as a 1900-ATK beater, but you will need a Tribute to Set it so it should be fine.

 

 

Ashwing Drifter

It is better now. A 2500-DEF wall at the cost of 1 Tribute that can power up other monsters you control. Dropping additional boosts at the cost of a discard should be fair in my opinion.

[Darj]

No longer accepting. Judging phase.

[Darj]

After evaluation and a couple of comments from other YDF members, here is my verdict:

 

1st place:

-Griffin: Blind-Rage Serpent

Balanced card overall. Punishes the opponent for controlling multiple monsters and has a nice Normal Set shortcut. In addition, it takes advantage from the YDF cardpool by being a target for "Lurking Serpents".

 

2nd place:

SirFred131: Ambushing Mantis

Solid card that punishes big monsters but can be played around with weaker ones. Also comes with a Normal Set shortcut. Its ability of taking down 3100 ATK monsters could be an issue, but also enables comebacks, which are encouraged in YDF.

 

3rd place:

Nobility: Rediscovered Masterpiece

It doesn't have a Normal Set shortcut so it is slower than the rest, but even then it is still a solid card with good defense and disruptive capabilities.

 

 

Comments on other cards that are 1 or 2 steps away from being good:

-Noel-: Sky Channeler

The bouncing removal was considered too strong against the current Xyzs and future Synchros.

 

Bringerofcake: Broadline Infuzier

In retrospect, the card is too weak for a Level6. I mean, it could very well be a Level4 with those stats and its Normal Set clause. In my opinion, a bit more of DEF, somewhere between 2300~2400, should be enough to make it good.

 

 

As for the rest:

Memoir Phantom and Ashwing Drifter are fine, just not good enough to deserve a place.

Not a fan of Serendipity Wizard because of the strength of its FLIP effect.

 

Oculus was just too strong.